To Return a Sceptre
by The What-If Writer
Summary: ONE-SHOT: Sequel fic to 'To Borrow a Sceptre' "As Ripto's search for his sceptre becomes a little too destructive to Avalar, a certain scepter swiper must return it as promised. That is, if he can sneak past Gulp and Crush on the way, and avoid being fired..."


_Sequel one-shot to 'Borrow a Sceptre' if you haven't read that, I suggest you do to avoid confusion. Jaq belongs to me._

_As for the spelling of sceptre, it can be spelt both 'Scepter' and 'Sceptre.' Depends where you're from._

_Please review )_

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To Return a Sceptre

We've all experienced that awkward feeling one gets when they know they've caused something but nobody suspects them.

Hacking into magic portals aren't a hard thing to do; and as of late even slow-minded creatures such as Riptocs and lumbering dinosaurs could find their way into peaceful realms such as Avalar, given the right pointing finger. And that finger belonged to the universes shortest, and most ironically fierce villian, Ripto.

Latley Avalar had been slightly tramped by the diminutive orange menace's minions, with them looking under rocks, trees and in houses (and other ridiculous locations) for something that the dinosaur seemingly found of value. Spyro was off in the Dragon Realms on vacation (not to the surprise of Avalar's residents) leaving the Professor, Hunter and Elora to wonder what the demented reptile was looking for.

Little did they know, the answer had snuck away from the conversation moments ago, and was now wandering through the forest, set on finding a portal to travel to a place where he'd hopefully get Ripto to cut it out.

Jaq knew for certain that not too much damage had been done yet; Ripto wasn't destroying anything but innocent trees and messing up villages looking for his beloved and oh-so-difficult to replace sceptre, that had been swiped by the little red dinosaur about a week ago. Jaq had thought himself very witty indeed when he was able to solve a problem caused by some mischievous creatures cursing the river water, but he hadn't let on about the sceptre.

A responsible adult would have told the Professor and Elora that he had what Ripto was looking for, but since Jaq was not a wise adult, he decided he'd just return the thing and hope things would go back to normal.

The little red dinosaur in question trotted through the otherwise empty forest towards one of the older the portals, the sceptre slung over one shoulder and glinting in the sunlight. The gold and sparkling gem contrasted greatly with his less-than affluent brown travelling clothes.

He stopped when he finally reached the portal, staring through the circular arch quietly. He took a deep breath.

_It's not as if I haven't done this before. Ole' Ripto will probably be too busy having a hissy-fit at Crush and Gulp or something to notice me putting the sceptre back._

Jaq rubbed the back of his head and nibbled at his lip. He'd thought about leaving the sceptre on the ground outside Ripto's lair, or even throwing it through the portal to said place and leaving it at that.

But, if it rolled under a rock or fell into lava, Jaq was pretty sure he'd get into more trouble than he already would be when Elora and the Professor discovered his little 'sneak into Ripto's lair' scheme. He was sure they would eventually...but perhaps it would be a little better if he resolved the problem before they did.

So, with another sigh, Jaq placed the sceptre down and rubbed his hands together. As he did, a sparkling blue light appeared on his palms, and a moment later he threw it towards the empty arch. It burst all around the stone outline like a firework, and a blue, sparkling portal materialised in front of the small dinosaur. With a small, slightly nervous but otherwise excited grin, he bent down and scooped the sceptre up before hopping into the portal.

You didn't need to be told how angry Ripto was. The mere atmosphere of his domain was tense, as if the very air was dreading the small sorcerer's next furious rant. Riptocs and dinosaur wandered around the chateau, but they were too busy with their patrols and worrying about Ripto's rage increasing that they didn't notice the undersized Jaq tip-toeing inside. It wasn't getting in that was the problem- it was getting through the halls and up to the lavished throne room where Ripto usually resided.

Jaq eyed the staircase before him with a wide-eyed expression. Had they been here the last time he'd visited? He tilted his head, thought for a moment, then shrugged. It didn't really matter. A few stairs didn't hurt anyone.

So, he began tip-toeing as quietly as he could up the stone stairs, glancing at the creepy torches hung on the walls at either side. He grimaced at them and continue his tip-toeing until he reached three-quarters up, where another hall awaited at the top.

He jumped as he heard Ripto's voice bellowing faintly from a floor above or two. He cringed as the tone sharpened if possible. Whatever was being said and whoever it was, Jaq was glad it wasn't directed at him.

"Boy, he really wants his sceptre back." He murmured to himself. "Maybe I shoulda...returned it earlier..."

A few halls and flights of stairs later, Jaq poked his head around the corner and gazed down the familiar corridor outside of Ripto's throne room. He raised a paw o his chin and tapped thoughtfully for a moment, listening hard. Strange, no shouting...

As if on cue, Crush and Gulp crashed through the double doors a few feet away, the large of the two rolling on his side. Their tales between their legs, the large beast cowered as Ripto's voice, now completely uncovered, pierced the air like a knife. Jaq jump back around the corner and pressed himself against the wall.

_"Get out of my sight you miserable bufoons, and don't come back until you've found my sceptre! If you crawl back here without it I'll personally make sure you're thrown into a bee-filled briar patch with LAVA BENEATH IT!" _

Jaq couldn't help but feel a spark of sympathy for the two goons, but it faltered when he heard the double doors slam shut, followed by the heavy, ground-shaking footsteps of the two coming his way. He gave a shrill sound somewhere between a squawk and yelp, stumbling back and darting down the corridor before they turned the corner. He took a left into yet another hallway, buying himself about ten seconds before he was spotted.

Jaq's head jerked frantically from side to side, taking in a cleaning-cart nearby, and some purple curtains. His eyes froze on the purple drapes, then widened as they moved back to the cart.

Crush and Gulp turned the corner and they exchanged nervous, dim-witted looks with each other after their bosses' scolding. They looked forward and halted in surprise when they spotted a familiar red dinosaur child standing beside a curtain-less window. They gaped at each other for a few seconds.

Jaq could see their slow brains working, and Crush pointed at him suddenly in alarm, finally recognising him as a foe. But, just as he raised his club, Jaq jumped back and waved his hands.

"Waaaaaait, wait-wait-wait!" He held his palms towards them, and miraculously the two halted, looking confused. Jaq breathed out shakily, stepping back and grinning sheepishly.

"Um, you guys know Ripto hates Spyro more, right?" When he recied blank looks, he waved his hands and continued, "You know, purple dragon, fire-breather?"

The two of them nodded slowly, "Sooo...wouldn't it be better if you crushed Spyro instead of me? I mean, what if he found out Spyro got away 'cuz you were too busy crushing me?"

The gears that made up their small brains appeared to be turning over-time. Then, they exchanged worried looks with each other at the idea of another scolding and shook their heads quickly.

Jaq grinned widely "Well that's swell and-Oh my gosh he's over there!" He jumped back theatrically and pointed to a purple thing nearby, and instantly the two giants leaped towards it with dim-witted roars.

Jaq side-stepped away from them as the brawl went on, neither one of the henchmen figuring out they were in fact attacking a cleaning cart with a purple curtain thrown over it, and the only thing hitting them or being hit was each other.

He slipped around the corner and darted the rest of the way to Ripto's throne room, feeling giddy with nervousness and excitement. He hadn't thought it would work, but he was doing well so far.

Jaq stopped outside of Ripto's throne room. He pressed the side of his head against the wood an listened carefully, but heard nothing. Then, as carefully as possible, opened one of the heavy doors just enough for him to slip through. Ripto was nowhere in sight. Jaq frowned as he looked around again, but didn't find him. Maybe he stormed off down the other hall as he was getting rid of Crush and Gulp? Ah well.

He stepped inside and let the heavy door slide shut behind him, flinching a little at the noise it made. Then, holding the sceptre (that he couldn't believe that Gulp and Crush hadn't spotted, even with it hidden behind his back) and trotted towards Ripto's throne. He couldn't help but giggled a little at the memory of this chair, that had resulted in tripping up Gulp and the latter falling on top of Ripto.

He crept as quietly as a mouth over to the throne, settled in the centre of the lavish throne room. He placed the sceptre on the arms of the chair like it was an ornament of sorts. He smiled happily to himself in accomplishment and turned on his heel.

THUD.

He slammed against someone's stomach and his eyes flickered upwards in alarm. When they did, his heart almost stopped.

Ripto's icy green irises bore down on him like fiery spotlights; his face fixed in a furious snarl. Jaw gave a tiny, barely audible nervous laugh.

"Hiya, Ripto."

Ripto growled and seized the wide-eyed dinosaur by the front of his shirt and jerked him forward, his feet dangling in the air but not-quite at eye-level. Wide blue eyes were centimetres away from raging green.

"You. Are. Dead."

Jaq, without hesitation, reached back and managed to snatch the sceptre back from where he'd set it down on the throne, and then hit the older dinosaur over the head with it.

"OW!"

Jaq dropped to the floor and scampered back a few steps, looking past Ripto to the door. Crush and Gulp could be back at any moment, and-

"RIPTOCS!"

Oooooh, Dear.

Ripto had recovered quickly, rubbing his sore head furiously as he glared at the insolent hatchling a few feet away. A few of his other minions burst through the doors clutching weapons, and upon seeing them, the boy scampered backwards, still clutching the sceptre.

He dived behind one of the reptilian statues as a spear zipped past hid head, yelping loudly. Ripto held out a hand to his minions, breathing hard to try and clam himself down, glaring daggers at the hatchling as he peered around the statue.

He forced a smile, holding out a hand. "Now, now, be a good boy and give that back to me." He leaned back a little, his grin becoming more real as he added in a mocking tone, "I promise not to fry you..."

"Aheh, I'll believe that when Gulp is accepted into college." Jaq remarked slowly, looking around frantically for a form of escape. Then, he looked down at the sceptre in his hands.

Ripto rolled his eyes, snorting. "Hah, ha. Now, unless you want to die slowly and painfully I suggest you hand me my sceptre. Now."

"Uuuuh...No can do."

Ripto blinked a few times before scowling. With an enraged growl, he turned to his minions. "Riptocs! GET THE SCEPTRE!"

Jaq had no choice but to sprint away from the statue's cover as dozens of sharp objects where thrown at him. He dive-rolled away from a spear, still holding onto the sceptre.

He stumbled onto his feet, and as the minions charged towards him, he heaved the sceptre above his head and gave it a single, desperate wave.

ZAP

A shot of red lightning burst from the gem and shocked the unsuspecting group of riptocs, who hovered in the air for a few seconds, surrounded in buzzing red light before collapsing on the floor in an disorientated pile. Jaq blinked at them, having not expected such a charge, but glad for it anyway.

Ripto stared at his slightly fried minions wide a flabbergasted expression before turning around and locking gazes with the boy. His eyes were narrowed dangerously and anyone worth their salt could tell he was done playing around.

"I've about had it with you, hatchling." With that, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out something round, black and shiny. Jaq's eyes widened when he realised what it was.

"Moneybags will take anyone with gems as a customer." Ripto commented with a degree of smugness, pulling out a match and wasting no time in lighting the bomb.

Jaq bit his lip and readied the stolen sceptre, and just as Ripto threw the bomb towards him, the doors burst open and Gulp and Crush thundered in. Ripto growled irritably, and Jaq stared nervously at the smoking bomb at his feet.

He reached down and picked t up, the same moment Crush held out the tangled purple curtain and cleaning cart forward like some sort of trophy, he and his fellow henchman grinning proudly.

Ripto stared at them in irritated astonishment at their stupidity. Then, he slowly turned to glare at the boy a little away from him with a narrow gaze. Jaq grinned sheepishly.

Then, he threw the bomb back at the angry Ripto and waved the sceptre again, and the smoking bomb landed between the orange dinosaur and his two daft goons. It exploded, covering all three of them in smoke.

With a wave of the sceptre, a tiny portal appeared beside Jaq and he shakily ran towards it, but didn't hesitate to look behind him and wave cheerily at the growling Ripto. He tossed the sceptre back at him, causing the elder to stumble back as he caught it.

"Bye, Ripto!" Jaw called before hopping into the portal, "Thanks for the sceptre!"

As the portal closed and the chateau faded from view, Jaq heard Ripto roaring after him:

"YOU LITTLE PEST! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIIIIIIS!"

Jaq landed softly on the grass of the Summer Forest, in a nice little spot by a pond. He lay on his back for a while, letting off a long, shaky breath. That could have gone worse.

"Ah-hem."

His eyes widened and he looked to the right and saw Elora standing nearby, frowning with her arms crossed. The Professor held a similar look.

Jaq gulped. Guess he had a bit of explaining to do...


End file.
